


Scar Tissue

by Golden_Asp



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gift Exchange, I'm Sorry, M/M, One Year Later, Tony & Bucky friendship, hard to tag, post Endgame, this is all over the place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-31 23:45:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18324389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Asp/pseuds/Golden_Asp
Summary: It's been a year since Thanos.  It's been a year since Tony and the Avengers brought everyone back.  Tony is finally well enough to attend the party that various world and galactic leaders have planned to say thank you.  Tony only wants to see one man: Stephen Strange.He hasn't seen him for a year.He hasn't seen him since Strange cut off his arm.





	Scar Tissue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [egosoffire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/egosoffire/gifts).



> This is for the ironstrange haven discord gift exchange, for Egosoffire. I realize this probably isn't exactly what you wanted or had in mind, but it kind of ran away from me. It's all over the place and I hope it makes sense. I was out of town for a week and I kind of forgot parts of it. Hope you don't mind the Bucky & Tony friendship.
> 
> not beta-ed

Tony stared at himself in the mirror, tugging fruitlessly at his tie. He couldn’t get it straight and he gave it up as a bad job. His eyes skittered over the empty left sleeve of his dinner jacket, swaying at his side.

He stuck his tongue out at his reflection and started to try to fold the sleeve up. He didn’t want it swinging to and fro during the event. It would be the first time he’d been out in public since recovering from the battle with Thanos.

“Nope, no dwelling tonight,” Tony told himself, shaking himself out of those thoughts. His sleeve slipped out of his right hand and he cursed, rolling his eyes.

There was a knock at the door and Bucky Barnes stuck his head in. “Everything good?”

“Depends on your definition of good,” Tony grumbled. Bucky stepped into the room, Rhodey on his heels. Rhodey shut the door behind them with a snap as Bucky walked up to Tony.

“What’s the problem?” Bucky asked.

Tony lifted his left shoulder, watching the sleeve swing freely. “Can’t get it folded right to pin it, and I can’t get my tie straight.”

“You are a hot mess, Tones,” Rhodey said, walking forward. He turned Tony slightly towards him and worked on straightening the tie. 

Tony flashed Rhodey a tired smile. “Yeah, but I’m your hot mess, sugar bear.”

Rhodey rolled his eyes, patting Tony’s chest when he finished with the tie. Bucky carefully took the sleeve in his hands, folding it expertly and pinning it against Tony’s body.

“Better?” Bucky asked, stepping back. 

Tony looked at himself in the mirror, turning slightly. He was still far too thin. His cheekbones stuck out more than they had before, and his goatee was more silver than black. Grey streaked through his hair, and he didn’t care enough to color it.

He’d been through hell and back. He deserved those grey hairs.

“Better,” Tony said, “thanks.”

His friendship with Bucky Barnes was one thing that surprised him after the dust cleared and Thanos was dead. Bucky had been a godsend while Tony was learning to deal with missing an arm. Rhodey and Bucky had stood with him, even in the very dark days after he woke up from his coma missing his arm and realizing Pepper had left for good.

“Hey,” Bucky said, snapping his fingers in front of Tony’s face. Tony blinked at him, pulling himself out of his memories. “Stay in the present,” Bucky said, resting his hand on Tony’s right shoulder.

Tony took a shuddering breath and nodded. “Got it. Will do.”

It had been a year since The Decimation had been reversed. The various world and galactic leaders had waited until Tony was conscious and more or less recovered before throwing what was shaping up to be one hell of a party.

Tony would much rather be anywhere but here. He shared a penthouse with Bucky in Queens, not far from Peter. He had gone underground after being released from the hospital some eight months earlier. Granted, he owned the building he and Barnes lived in and no one else lived there, but that was beside the point. 

He didn’t revel being in a crowd anymore. They were too loud, too claustrophobic. 

He wondered if things would be different if Pepper were still next to him, but he quickly shook that thought away.

“You ready to be covered in glory?” Rhodey asked.

“I am utterly glorious,” Tony said, lifting his head.

Bucky snorted. “Okay, Loki.”

Tony gasped. “Rude, Elsa!” 

Bucky threw his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “Tony, sometimes you just have to…let it go.”

“God, I fucking hate you.”

Bucky laughed, banging his head against Tony’s temple. Tony huffed and slipped his arm around Bucky’s waist, allowing the touch to settle him. 

“You’re going to get his tie crooked again,” Rhodey said, batting Bucky’s hand out of the way.

“Should’ve just gotten a clip on,” Tony muttered, looking down as Rhodey adjusted it again.

“Tony Stark would never be caught in a clip on tie,” Bucky said.

“This is true,” Tony conceded. A knock at the door had all three men swinging to face it as it opened. Shuri walked in, flashing a smile at them.

“Everyone is getting restless, Stark.”

“I really don’t care,” Tony said. “I didn’t want to be here at all.”

Shuri gave him a sad smile. “I know. I have something for you.”

Tony tensed under Bucky’s arm. “I don’t want an arm,” he said, voice rising.

“Peace, Tony,” she said. “I am aware. It’s not an arm.”

Tony relaxed, letting himself sink against Bucky. He let out a breath, feeling the weightlessness on his left side. Shuri had built him one not long after he’d gotten out of the hospital, and Tony had tried it on, but he just _couldn’t_.

Bucky kneaded his left shoulder, giving Tony the time to come back to himself. “Stay in the present,” Bucky whispered.

Tony nodded, lifting his head. “Sorry, princess.”

Shuri just arched her eyebrow. She had a red and gold sash over her arm and she shook it out. The fabric shimmered in the light of the room, gold gleaming over the red.

“It’s pretty,” Tony said. “What is it?”

Shuri huffed, holding it between her fingers. “It’s a mark of honor in Wakanda.”

Tony wriggled his arm between his and Bucky’s body to reach out and touch the sash. It ran through his fingers like water. “Soft,” he said.

“I figured you would not want people staring at your folded sleeve,” Shuri said, draping the longer part over Tony’s left side. She tied it at his right shoulder, adjusting it so it fell across his chest and shoulder. The light from the arc reactor, once again keeping him alive, shone through it.

Tony touched it, glancing at himself in the mirror. He had to admit that it looked good, and that Shuri was right; he hadn’t been looking forward to having politicians poke and prod at his sleeve.

“See, this is why you’re going to run the world one day,” Tony said. “Always thinking ahead.”

“One day?” Shuri asked, arching her eyebrow. 

Bucky snorted, fist bumping the princess and making Tony and Rhodey roll their eyes.

“You ready?” Rhodey asked, resting his hand on Tony’s shoulder. Tony looked at him and shrugged.

“We faced down Thanos. A bunch of politicians can’t be worse, right?”

“Oh, now we’re screwed,” Bucky said, holding the door open for them as they left the room.

Tony followed Rhodey out the door, laughing quietly. He turned to look at Bucky as he fell into step next to him.

“We’re continuing the Disney marathon after this, right?”

“Duh. I have a lot of catching up to do.”

They reached the double doors leading to the massive ballroom that the party was in. Tony grabbed at Rhodey’s shirt, bringing them to a halt.

“Don’t leave me in there, okay?” Tony said. He knew he was whiny and needy, but he didn’t care. He hadn’t been around large groups of people in over a year. He was doing pretty okay on a day to day basis, but he really didn’t want to do this.

“Either me or Buck will be next to you all night,” Rhodey said calmly, pulling Tony against him in a hug. Tony nodded, his arm around Rhodey’s waist.

“Let’s get this over with,” he muttered, stepping back. Rhodey straightened Tony’s tie one last time and they stepped through the door.

:::

Tony slumped in his chair, chin propped on his palm. He’d stopped listening to the speeches from the time the first person had said ‘good evening’ and just zoned out. His eyes were continually drawn to the large banners hanging around the room; Steve Rogers looked down on them in all his spangly glory.

Tony had been in a coma during his funeral. Waking up to find out Captain America was dead and long buried had been a bit of a shock.

He pulled himself out of his maudlin thoughts, glancing at the Nova Prime. She was talking about something, probably losing the damn Power Stone and the Guardians and something about a dance off to save the universe. 

Medals hung around his neck and he wished he had two hands so he could fiddle with one. Rhodey had taken them from whichever politicians had wanted to cover him in glory and put them on Tony. 

Natasha, sitting on Tony’s other side, leaned close. “Amazing how it doesn’t matter what planet politicians are from.”

“They all sound the same,” Tony whispered back. Natasha smiled at him and squeezed his bicep, sitting back in her chair.

Tony let his eyes wander the crowded room. The Guardians had already left the stage, dispersing into the crowd and generally silencing whichever poor human they came across. Tony was pretty sure Rocket was going to have a collection of random shit by the end of the night that the anthropomorphic raccoon said he absolutely _needed_.

Quill was stuffing his face, standing near Gamora. Tony still wasn’t entirely sure how she had come back, but he decided not to question it. Gamora’s return made Nebula happy, and Nebula was one of Tony’s few friends. Tony kept looking around the room.

There was the Asgardian contingent; Bruce had gone to sit with that Valkyrie woman. Back in the day Tony would’ve loved to go drinking with her, but he tried to stay away from alcohol now. Thor was on stage with them, Loki pressed against his side. Loki arched his eyebrow at Tony, sipping his drink.

Tony gave him a salute, making the god of mischief roll his eyes and try to pull away from Thor. Ever since Loki’s return, Thor was very reluctant to let him out of his sight, much to Loki’s disdain. 

Carol Danvers sat next to Rhodey, her orange Flerken on her lap. Tony would’ve thought the creature was just a cat if he hadn’t seen it fucking _eat_ some of the Children of Thanos with her mouth tentacles. Fury seemed to know Goose, though he didn’t explain how.

Clint sat on Natasha’s other side, officially retired (again). Tony thought this time it was going to stick. Clint wanted to watch his kids grow up, though he and Laura had been through some serious marital counseling. 

Peter Parker sat next to Clint, eyes wide as he surveyed the room. He still couldn’t believe that he was sitting up there with the Avengers, that he was considered an Avenger. Tony’s heart twisted and he rubbed at his chest. If he had his way, Peter would never face a bad guy again, but he knew that wasn’t possible. Peter would leap into danger to save his friends and family, and Tony respected that. He didn’t have to like it though.

Bucky sat next to Tony, looking over the crowd with unfathomable eyes. Tony knew he wasn’t a fan of the banners of Steve looking down on them. His best friend had died, and Bucky had been lost for a while after that. T’Challa and Shuri sat on the other side of the podium, faces schooled to polite neutrality. Tony wished he could school his face that well. In the past, he could, but the last year had cured him of truly caring what people thought. So he was bored out of his mind and didn’t want to be there, sue him. 

He sighed, idly rubbing his left shoulder. He waved Bucky off when the super soldier glanced at him. He didn’t hurt, he just wanted to do something with his hand. 

There was one person he’d been hoping to see at this stupid shindig, and he was disappointed to realize that one Stephen Strange was absent.

Tony hadn’t seen him in a year. Technically, he hadn’t seen him since the good doctor had disappeared in a breeze on an alien planet. He thought Strange was avoiding him, and he understood it, really, he did.

He imagined it was quite difficult to look someone in the face after you cut their arm off in some horrendous field surgery.

Tony’s attention snapped back to the podium. The Nova Prime finally wrapped up her speech and presented the Avengers with the same medals she had already given the Guardians. Bucky took Tony’s with an apologetic smile.

“Are we done?” Tony mouthed at Rhodey. His oldest friend nodded and Tony wanted to weep with joy. He stood up, the others getting up at the same time. Applause echoed around the room, people cheering and screaming for them. Tony plastered a smile on his face as they descended the steps. Bucky stayed one step behind Tony, chatting with Natasha.

Tony made a beeline for the bar and ordered a ginger ale. He generally tried not to drink in public anymore. He didn’t know what he would do, and the call of alcohol was a constant siren song. He _wanted_ to drink the last year away, but he forced himself to be good.

He took his ginger ale and let his eyes wander the crowd. Bucky stood next to him, his own drink in hand. Tony kept his smile on his face as politician after politician walked up to him to speak and shake hands.

Tony could admit to himself that he delighted in not being able to shake hands. His only hand was full and he wasn’t going to put his drink down between each person. They could deal.

He saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye and turned, completely ignoring the guy in the gold robe from some planet named Sakaar. His eyes widened at the familiar streak of silver in dark hair and made some excuse before practically running through the crowd, Bucky hot on his heels.

“Strange,” Tony whispered, sliding to a stop. Stephen Strange turned, shock crossing his face as he took in the smaller man.

“Stark,” Strange said, nodding slowly. Tony shifted on his feet, eyes darting around.

“Long time no see,” Tony finally said.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Birthday parties?”

Stephen rolled his eyes so hard they nearly disappeared into his skull.

“If you must know, the Decimation wreaked havoc on the multiverse. We’re still short handed when it comes to sorcerers, so the few of us that are left have been working double duty.”

“Sounds rough. Maybe you should send out Hogwarts acceptance letters. You got an owl?”

“No owls, I’m afraid. You want to study magic?” Stephen asked.

“Oh hell no,” Tony said, waving his hand and nearly spilling his drink. “I got my fill of magic a year ago.”

“Pity.”

Tony was pretty sure Strange was needling him on purpose, and he was pretty sure that he was looking for a way out of the conversation.

“I wanted to talk to you, actually,” Tony said quietly. Stephen went rigid, letting out a slow breath. 

“Of course,” Stephen said.

Tony led the way to a balcony, Bucky following them both. Stephen leaned against the rail, watching Tony watch him. 

Tony took a deep breath and turned to Bucky. “I’ll be good with him. You can go back inside.”

“You sure?” Bucky asked.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

Bucky clapped him on the shoulder. “Scream like a damsel if you need me.”

Tony snorted and half shoved Bucky away. “Get out of here, Mr. Freeze.”

Bucky laughed and slipped back inside, leaving Stephen and Tony alone on the balcony. Neither man said a word, both staring out over the city in silence. Tony ran his fingers around the edge of his glass, keeping his breathing slow and even.

“I wanted to thank you,” Tony said finally, startling Stephen.

“For what?”

Tony rested his hip against the rail, meeting those iridescent eyes. “For what you did on Titan. And…for this.” He lifted his left shoulder, noting the way Stephen’s eyes darted to the empty space where his arm used to be.

“You remember?” Stephen whispered.

“I do.”

Tony remembered flashes of it; Thor’s strong arms pinning his right arm and chest, Bucky sprawled across his legs, Carol’s hands a vice grip around his ruined left arm, the gauntlet melted into his flesh. He remembered the stones whispering to him, tantalizing visions. He’d been half mad with want, trying to snap his fingers again.

He remembered Stephen on top of him, magic sparking from his hands as he did something to Tony’s arm, and then nothing.

“I’m…”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Tony said. “We both know I’d be dead if you hadn’t cut it off. Or the galaxy would be worse off. Those stones are a fucking menace.”

“That they are,” Stephen said.

Tony sipped his ginger ale, shoulders tight. He could feel the phantom pain of his arm, tingles running down his nerves. He gritted his teeth and rolled his shoulder, aware of Stephen’s eyes on him. Tony’s hand shook as he carefully set down his tumbler of ginger ale.

“How about we get out of here?” Tony said, lifting his eyes to meet Stephen’s. The taller man seemed cautious and a little confused. “You can make a portal and get us out of here, right? I really don’t want to be here.”

Stephen arched his eyebrow. “Anywhere in particular you’d like to go?”

Tony fumbled for his pocket, some of his ginger ale sloshing out onto his pants. “Damn it,” he muttered. Stephen carefully plucked the glass out of Tony’s hand and set it on the rail. “Thanks,” Tony said, digging his phone out.

“FRIDAY, show the man home,” Tony said.

A holographic projection of Tony and Bucky’s penthouse shimmered into existence between them. Stephen watched it critically, finally nodding at Tony.

Tony adjusted his grip on his phone and quickly sent off a text to Bucky and Rhodey. _Strange is taking me home. Don’t want to be here. I’ll be safe with him._

Bucky responded almost immediately to the group text. **Don’t do anything I would do.**

Tony snorted, watching as Rhodey typed out a reply. **Call us if you need us. We’ll cover for you.**

_Thanks, Rhodey-bear and Bucky-bear. See you both tomorrow._

Tony shoved his phone back in his pocket and looked up at Stephen. “Okay, ready to go.”

Stephen slipped his sling ring onto his fingers and spun up the portal. Tony’s heart stuttered in his chest as he watched the orange sparks form. He tilted his head, looking through the portal and seeing his living room. He took a shaky breath and lifted his head, striding through the portal with purpose. Being able to see the other side and know it was his living room, his safe place, certainly helped. He had seen Stephen use those portals on Titan. He was fine.

Stephen followed him through the portal and let it collapse behind him, Tony’s half empty glass of ginger ale the only sign that they were there.

:::

The moment the portal collapsed Tony tugged the red Wakandan sash off and tossed it over the back of a chair. He yanked his tie off and let it flutter to the floor, fingers scrambling to get the plethora of medals and awards off his neck and jacket. He felt Stephen’s eyes on him, but the sorcerer remained silent.

“Make yourself at home,” Tony said, dropping the medals onto the table with a disgusted grunt. He didn’t want them, but he knew Rhodey would take them and get a shadow box made for them. He’d probably have it displayed at SI, where he rarely went and he wouldn’t have to see it.

“You want something to drink?” Tony asked, glancing over his shoulder. He unbuttoned his jacket and let it hang open on him.

“What do you have?” Stephen asked, eyes drifting around the room. He saw a photo of Barnes and Rogers, clearly from the 1940s. Next to it was a picture of Tony and Rhodey from their MIT days, and then one of them in their armor. A photo of Peter Parker and Tony was next to it, and behind that was a photo of Tony and the original Avengers. There was a picture of Tony and Bucky, Barnes without his prosthetic, both wearing a shirt that said ‘one armed wonder club’. Stephen couldn’t help the quiet laugh that escaped him at that.

“No alcohol,” Tony said, noting the way Stephen looked at him with interest. “If I start drinking again I won’t stop until I’m dead.”

Stephen nodded, a brief flash of something crossing his face. Tony ignored it and opened the fridge. 

“We got milk, various juices, iced tea, uhh…brown soda of various flavors. Coffee and tea bags.” He opened a cabinet and pulled out a box of tea. “Earl grey, lemon, chamomile, lavender, and peppermint.”

“I wasn’t aware you liked tea,” Stephen said. The Cloak left his shoulders and started to explore. Tony watched the fabric for a moment.

“Should introduce your cloak there to DUM-E,” Tony muttered. He glanced back at Stephen. “Buck’s a bit of tea guy. I like the peppermint okay. He makes me drink the lavender sometimes.”

“Peppermint then, if it’s not too much trouble.”

Tony nodded and reached up, standing on his toes to grab the tea kettle. He rested the kettle on the divider between the two sinks and turned the water on. He balanced it carefully as it filled, turning the water off and grabbing it kettle before it could tilt. He carried it to the stove and turned it on, turning back to face Stephen.

They stared at each other. Tony thought he should feel uncomfortable, but he was so far beyond caring.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Tony said again.

Stephen tilted his head. “I’ve been—”

“Busy, I know. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’ve been avoiding me.”

Stephen sighed, resting his hip against the center island. “Yes.”

Tony looked delighted at the admission as he scrounged up two mugs. “Knew it.”

“You’ve been sending food to the sanctum.”

“Duh. You looked skinny, and Wong said that Brucie interrupted lunch that day so…”

Stephen shook his head. “So you just decided to send us food?”

“Are you complaining?”

“Not really. It’s nice.”

“Lovely, but you’re still avoiding my question.”

“I wasn’t aware you asked one.”

“ _Why_ have you been avoiding me?”

Stephen swallowed, his eyes darting to the empty space at Tony’s left side. Tony ignored him, pouring the hot water into the mugs and dropping the tea bags in. He held one of the mugs out to Stephen and picked up the other, leading the way to the couch.

“C’mon, Merlin. I think I deserve an answer.”

Stephen took a sip of tea and sat on the opposite end of the couch. He stared into his tea and set it on the table when his fingers started to shake. 

“I figured it would be easier for you.”

“Why? Because you cut my arm off?” Tony asked, half melting into the couch.

“Well…yes.”

Tony nodded, looking over Stephen’s shoulder at nothing. “I was in a coma for a month, did you know that?”

Stephen’s head jerked in a nod. Tony smiled wryly; Rhodey had told him that the sorcerer had visited.

“Of course you did. You were instrumental in sorting out my head.”

“That was mostly Loki,” Stephen said, then immediately cursed.

Tony grinned. “But you helped. I was mad, Stephen. Those stones fucked up more than my body, they fucked up my mind. You were the one to make sure Loki didn’t change me when he sorted out the garage, but you fled when I woke up. Loki made sure I knew exactly who ‘fixed’ me. You, I didn’t see at all.”

“I cut off your arm,” Stephen said.

“You saved my life. Everyone knows that. If you hadn’t gotten the gauntlet off when you did, I either would’ve died or snapped my fingers again. I could’ve remade the universe into exactly what I wanted, and believe me, I was far enough over the edge that I _wanted_ to.”

Stephen was silent, those iridescent eyes watching him over the rim of his mug.

Tony’s head lolled on his shoulders. His fingers tapped against his thigh as he tucked his feet under him. 

“I remember,” Tony said, eyes focused on nothing. “I remember Thor’s arms holding me down, and Bucky across my legs, and Carol making sure I didn’t close my fist. I remember you over me, and I thought you were a hallucination until I couldn’t feel my arm anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” Stephen said.

Tony waved his fingers at him. “I told you, don’t apologize. Anyway, I don’t remember the surgery at the hospital to clean it up. Which is nice. I’m told it was very bloody.”

Stephen nodded slowly. “You died three times on the table.”

Tony looked vaguely surprised. “Huh. Rhodey never told me that.”

Tony figured the reason he wasn’t told was because he had wanted to die. When he’d woken up from his coma, his mind distressingly clear, the first thing he had seen was a note on the table next to his bed with a horribly familiar engagement ring on it. Then he had noticed the weightlessness on his left side, the empty space where his arm had been.

Rhodey had been there. He woke up when Tony started sobbing. 

The months after waking up were some of the hardest of Tony’s life, and he had a plethora of bad shit to choose from. He wanted to die. He asked why they hadn’t just let him die. He found out Steve Rogers had died, and that he had missed the funeral.

He wasn’t sure what to think of that. They’d never had time to talk about what happened in Siberia. They’d gone into that final battle assuming they’d both die, but Tony came out alive.

Physically, at least.

He learned that Loki and Stephen had gone into his mind, releasing him from the madness that the gauntlet and the stones had twisted into his very soul. He remembered trying to snap his fingers after bringing everyone back; he’d wanted to remake the universe.

Three months after having his arm cut off on the battlefield, he was finally released from the hospital. He tried to go back to the compound, but it was too quiet. He tried to go back to his penthouse, but the empty bed and that engagement ring mocked him.

Then Bucky Barnes had shown up and the two moved into a penthouse together; a totally new place, with no memories for either one of them. Bucky didn’t want to be in Brooklyn, Tony didn’t want to be in any of the places he had lived before. Rhodey stayed with them quite often.

Tony started when he felt a gentle touch on his knee and he wrenched himself out of his thoughts. Stephen looked at him, eyes sad.

“Sorry,” Tony said, trying to flash a smile.

“You of all people have nothing to apologize for,” Stephen said gently. Tony blinked and dropped his eyes, fingers curled around his mug. 

They sat in silence for a while, each man sipping his tea. The silence wasn’t strained, but companionable and comfortable.

“I wanted to get in touch with you for a while,” Tony finally admitted.

Stephen seemed surprised. “I have to admit that I figured the last thing you would want was to see me. Not after…everything.”

“You mean giving up the Time Stone, setting me on this path, telling me it was the only way, cutting off my arm, sorting out the mess of my head with Loki, and then avoiding me for a year?”

Stephen flinched. “Yes.”

Tony just arched his eyebrow and set his mug on the table. He went to shrug his jacket off and cursed.

“Hey, can you help a man out? I think Bucky pinned the sleeve to my shirt too.”

Stephen held up a trembling hand. “Are you sure you want my help with a pointy object?”

Tony grinned. “I’m good with a small prick.”

Stephen snorted and leaned forward, shaking fingers carefully undoing the pins. 

“Or a big one,” Tony added a moment later.

“You’re awful.” 

“I know.”

The sleeve finally came undone and Tony gleefully yanked the jacket off, tossing it on the floor. He unbuttoned his shirt and started to pull it off, pausing to look at Stephen.

“Is this okay?”

“This is your house.”

“I finally got to talk to you. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” In the past, Tony wouldn’t have cared about making sure others were comfortable. He did whatever he wanted and rolled with it.

Now, he had too few friends and he didn’t want to chase potential friends away.

“It’s fine, Tony,” Stephen said, reaching out and helping Tony out of the dress shirt. He was left only in a tank top, the arc reactor glowing softly. Tony groaned in relief and flopped against the couch, rubbing at what was left of his arm.

“Does it hurt?” Stephen asked, eyes moving over the scars.

“Phantom pain is a right dick, but honestly, not bad. I mean, my chest hurts all the time and it’s less than that. You can look if you want.” Tony scooted closer, turning his left side to Stephen. 

Stephen reached out, fingers grazing Tony’s shoulder, running over the scars. Tony sighed, eyes slipping half closed as he watched Stephen’s scarred fingers prod at his stump. 

“Did you know I saw those futures you looked into?” Tony asked.

Stephen’s fingers dug into his flesh in surprise, eyes wide as he looked at Tony. Tony smiled wryly.

“I don’t know if I saw all fourteen million. If I did, I think you and Loki took those out of my brain, and thank you for that, but anyway, I saw lots of them.”

“How?”

“You were the master of the Time Stone. For a brief moment, I was the master of all six stones. They showed me possible futures, the past, the present, other dimensions. Did you know there’s a dimension where you’re Iron Man and I’m the sorcerer supreme? That one threw me for a loop. Anywho, I saw them. I saw you.”

Stephen went tense, staring at Tony like he was on the verge of running.

“Fourteen million futures and only one that we won. And here we are,” Tony said.

“And here we are.”

Tony jumped to his feet and Stephen slowly got to his. Tony stepped close to him, aware of how tall he was. He could see Stephen’s pupils expand as they stood close together; he could feel the heat rolling off Stephen’s body and he wanted to sink into it.

Tony reached up slowly, his hand coming to rest on Stephen’s chest. He could feel his heartbeat under his palm, a steady and reassuring beat.

“I want to be selfish,” Tony whispered, staring at his fingers spread over that blue tunic.

Stephen let out a slow breath, his hand slowly coming up to cover Tony’s hand.

“You deserve to be selfish.”

Tony looked up at him, swallowing hard. He leaned forward, going up on his toes until his lips brushed Stephen’s. Stephen sighed against his mouth, hand tightening over Tony’s.

Tony closed his eyes, forehead coming to rest on Stephen’s shoulder. He could admit after seeing those futures that he had a thing for Stephen Strange. After the man cut his arm off and saved his life it only intensified. He focused on Strange during his recovery, learning what he could about the former surgeon. He _wanted_ and for a long time he couldn’t figure out how to deal with it.

“I feel I need to ask something,” Stephen said delicately. Tony lifted his head and looked at him.

“Yeah?”

Stephen glanced at the picture of Tony and Bucky again, his eyes traveling to Bucky’s leather jacket draped over a chair and what was clearly a pair of his pants shoved half under a chair.

“Are you and Sergeant Barnes…” Stephen seemed at a loss. Tony stared at him, noting the flush across Stephen’s cheeks.

Tony grinned.

“Boinking? You want to know if I’m boinking Bucky Barnes?”

Stephen made some sort of disgusted noise in his throat. “I will pay you never to say that word again.”

Tony threw his head back and laughed, feeling happier than he had in a year.

“Nah, Bucky and I are just friends. Believe me, no one is more surprised than me that Buck and I are friends. Steve is probably laughing his ass off wherever he is. Anyway, he’s been a godsend since I got out of the hospital. He taught me how to do shit one handed. I’m not saying we didn’t talk about doing more than the super platonic cuddling that happens during our Disney marathons, but he’s still figuring out who he is without Steve, I’m still figuring out who I am without an arm, and Pepper. But no, we’re not boinking.”

“That’s good to know,” Stephen said, slipping his hand into Tony’s hair and pulling him up for a kiss. Tony melted against the taller man, his arm slipping around his waist. His eyes burned with unshed tears. He had wanted this for so long.

Stephen pulled back, pressing another kiss against the corner of Tony’s mouth. He stepped back until his calves hit the couch and he lowered himself onto it, pulling Tony down on top of him.

Tony went to him easily, shifting so the arc reactor didn’t press against Stephen’s chest and his left side wasn’t trapped against the couch. Tony rested his head on Stephen’s chest and listened to his heart.

“I’ve wanted this for a long time,” Stephen whispered.

“I know.”

“The stones showed you that, too?” Stephen asked dryly.

“Maybe,” Tony whispered, eyes drifting closed.

“Go to sleep, Tony,” Stephen whispered, dropping a kiss onto Tony’s hair.

Tony snuggled closer, fingers curled into Stephen’s tunic. Stephen closed his eyes, Tony’s solid weight a comfort to him. 

He fell asleep, the most important thing in the universe in his arms.

:::

Bucky unlocked the door to the penthouse and stepped inside. He jumped back and cursed when Strange’s sentient Cloak appeared in front of him, spinning circles and seemingly telling him to be quiet.

“Are they sleeping?” Bucky whispered. The Cloak nodded and led the way to the living room. Bucky picked up Tony’s jacket and dress shirt and hung them over the back of a chair. He stopped in front of the couch, looking at the two men sleeping soundly.

“About fucking time,” Bucky muttered, snapping a quick picture with his phone and sending it to Rhodey. He gently pulled the quilt that hung over the back of the couch over them, resting his hand briefly on Tony’s head. The quilt had been one of Steve’s, one he’d made in his down time.

The Cloak hovered by his shoulder, looking down at its master. Bucky glanced at it.

“Wanna watch _Die Hard_ with me?”

The Cloak perked up, nodding its collar enthusiastically. Bucky grinned at it.

“C’mon then, Big Red. We’ll leave those two to sleep and enjoy the movie. Let me make popcorn first.”

Bucky made his popcorn and grabbed a beer, leading the Cloak to his room. He sat down, the Cloak hovering next to him before settling on the bed next to him. Bucky shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth as FRIDAY started the movie.

It had been difficult the past year; losing Steve, dealing with the fallout of the Decimation, somehow becoming friends with Tony Stark. He was glad that Tony and Rhodey had become his friends. The three of them spent long nights talking, cuddling on the couch, and watching Disney movies.

He had listened to Tony talk about Strange for months. He wondered if Tony would stop chatting his ear off about Strange now that they were apparently together.

He glanced at the picture on his phone.

Bucky figured he’d be subject to a lot more talk about the perfect assets of one Stephen Strange from now on.

He was strangely okay with it.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are love


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